X-rays from Mass Loaded Supernova
Remnants in the Large Magellanic Cloud
S. J. Arthur & W. J. Henney, IA-UNAM
Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal
Abstract:
Observations of H{\sc ii} complexes surrounding OB associations in the
Large Magellanic Cloud have revealed x-ray luminosities that cannot
be explained by stellar winds alone, nor by supernova remnants (SNR)
evolving inside stellar wind bubbles. In neither case would there be
enough matter inside the bubbles to produce the observed flux. We
propose a model in which a SNR evolves inside an extremely
diffuse stellar wind bubble (formed by the OB association stars),
but the density in the SNR is augmented by hydrodynamic ablation of
cool, dense clumps by the post blast wave SNR flow. We present
hydrodynamic calculations, including a non-equilibrium treatment of
the ionisation and cooling, of the evolution of such mass loaded
SNRs. We show that the models naturally explain many of the
properties of the observed diffuse x-rays. In particular, we find
close quantitative agreement between one of our models and observed
parameters of N51D.
Available as.............
Will Henney